Means for lubricating connecters



Nov. 18, 1930. B.. s, BURRELL 1,782,337

MEANS FOR LUBRICATING CONNECTERS Filed April 14', `1928 2 sheets-sheet 1 I f' .j

@van gort' Nov. 18, 1930. l B. s. BURRELL 1,782,337

i MEANS FOR LUBRICATING CONNECTERS Filed Apri1114. 1928 2 sheets-sheet 2 i. 'so

Patented Nov. 18,v 1930 e. yianiirir''Antin s. BURizELL, or Elisa*v e'HICAGogfINDIANAL MEANS Foa/Lunnrcii'rme coNNEcmnRs l y' Application led 4Aiprilvf14, 1928. Q Serial No. 270,070.

. `Myfinventicm relates, moreparticularly,.to

for example, between drive-spindles and the ro'lls of -rollingfmills, which are driven rat relatively slowspeed. 4

@-210 Such connections vare subjectk to very rapid Wear, with l consequent impairment, unless properly lubricated, due "to the great rubbing action which occurs in `use. between the opposingsurfaces ofthe connecting means.Y

`chines `having connecters of the kind, above described, 'to ,lubricate such connecters by .the periodic pouring of oil upon theiny by a workman, b-ut such practice presentsy many objections, among which are'great'wasteof VBoil, .asmall portiononly ofthe oil poured ponto :the connecters reaching the surfaces to belubricatedg-vlarge expenser for.jlabor,.par lticularly if the connecters are oiled suliycient-ly frequently to ensure against the wearing surfaces'becoming dry; and inadequate lubrication which results in yobjectionably great wear, requiring-frequent replacements which .are not 'only costly,y but require that the machine be outv of commission while bengmade. L,

My object `is to provide for the adequate lubrication of such connecters to the end of greatly prolonging :their life; to provide for such lubrication without Wasteof lubricant and at arelatively low cost for labor; and other'objects,-'as willbe vmanifest from the following description. .Y l

Referring to ther accompanying drawings: Figure ll is a View` in side elevation of the adjacent ends of a drive-spindle of arolling mill'and a rollto be driven thereby, together ,t Witha cou lin box connecting together the spindle an rol for drive of the'latter from ing one of is the practice, inthe operation of inaadjacent ends of a drive-spidle of. a rolling' "the spindle, the structure beingprovided Figure. 3 is. an end View of the coupling-box of Figure l, with certain portions broken away andsectioned to disclose the lubricating means. v V.

`Figure d. is a section taken at the line lf-fl v55 on Fig. 3 and viewed in the direction ofthe arrows.

- Figure 5 is a side viewof the coupler-end yof a rotarymember to be coupled to another rotary memberby a loose connection, and 60 lubricated in accordance 'with another embodiment of my invention. i

. Figure 6 is an end view of a coupling-box forthemember ofFig. .s

Figure 7 is a view in sideelevationof the 65 mill anda roll tobe drivenv thereby,l together with a `coupling-,box therefor, shown insection and provided with Avlubricating Y means constituting stillanother embodiment of my 'A70 invention. ,l

yFigure 8y is 'a vsectional view of the coupling box ofFig. Z with thespring band in elevation, the section being taken at the line 8 on Vand viewed inthe direction of the 75 arrow. l

Figure 9 is a view like Fig. y7 of a drivespindle, roll and coupling-box therefor with lubricating means therefor, constituting still another embodiment of my invention, the box 80 and 'portions ofthe other parts being shown" in section; and

Figure l0, a crosssectional view of the coupling-box. t

Referring 4to the construction shown in `85 Figs. l, 2, 3 and 4, an end of the rotary spine dle, ras for example, 'of a rolling mill, is shown lat ll, andthe adjacent end of a roll, as for example, of such a mill and substantially axially aligned with the spindle, is shown at 90 l2, these ends of the spindle and roll being preferably longitudinally grooved at intervals about their periphery,'as represented at 13. f The coupling of the spindle 11 and roll 12 95 for drive of thelatter from the spindle is by means of'a coupling box 14, openfat its opposite ends, at which lit extends loosely over the opposing ends of theispindle and roll, the inner wall ofV the box containing 10o with a peripheral'series of lubricant-receivingrv chambers 16 provided with lubricantinlets 17, preferably provided-with inwardly-v opening check-valves (not shown), and also with outlets- 18 opening through the, apexes of the ribs 15, radially of the axis of the box 14, into the interior of the boxl for the passage of lubricant into thejoints between the box andthe spindle and roll to lubricate the mutually-contacting surfaces of these parts.

The box lll'is'of-bulging form at its outer surface at points Vradially aligned with the ribs 15, as representedat 19, and into which the chambers 16 extend', as shown, thereby Y affording relatively large chambers with the minimum of metal. .y Y Y K The chambers 16V are preferably charged with grease-absorbing materialfQO, such as,-

for example, wool yarn, introduced intothe chambers-16 through openings 21 therein, equipped with removable screw-plugs 22, the

`lubricant, preferably inthe form of grease,

being charged into the chambers 16 through "the inlets 17, and becoming disseminated i throughout the masses 2O of material. In structures of vthe character described,

the spindles, rolls and coupling boxes are rotated comparatively slowly, thusv exerting but slight tendency to centrifugal action upon i the grease, and in rotating, considerable jarring vof these parts occurs'which operates to cause the grease to feed through the outlets of the chambers 16, producing and maintaining the-desired film of grease between the opposed surfaces ofrthespindle, roll and coupling box.

yIn the construction shown in Fig. 5, the lubricant instead' of being contained in a chamber in the couplingbox, is provided either in the'end of the spindle or roll, or both, as shown of the spindle represented at y 23, the coupling box 24 of Fig. 6, of the same internal form as therbox of therrpreceding figures, being provided `for interlock'with the adyacent endsv of the vspindlean'd roll, as

in the previously-.described construction,

VThe lubricant-chamber of Fig. 5 is shown at 25, it being chargedthrough its plugequipped opening 26'with material 27 corresponding with'the= material in the cham- I bers 16, the Vchamber 25fhaving a filler-opening 28 equipped with an inwardly-opening check-valve (not shown) and outlets S29 extending radially outwardly through the longitudinallyribbed outersurface of the connecting end of the spindle, preferably .,-hlQllgh theibottoms ofi-,each valley portion 'thereof as shown 'of the outlets illustrated,

Y strip valve-equipped for leading the lubricant to the surfaces to be lubricated.

In the arrangement shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the coupling box represented at 30 and having interlocking driving i engagement with the spindle and roll, as shown and explained of the construction shownin Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4, insteadV of being provided with a peripheral series of chambers, contains a single peripheral lubricant-chamber' 31l shown as closed by aband 32 secured Vto the body of the coupling box in.n any suitable way.

The chamberV thus provided is filled, through a filler opening (not shown), with material 33 such as the material 20, this chamber alsov having a lubricant-filling opening (not shown), as in the case of the previouslydescribed constructions..

In this construction, the use of a spring follower member is illustrated for aiding in the forcing of the grease from the chamber through its outlets 34 to the joints between the spindle, roll and coupling box. This spring follower is shown as in theform of a spring 35 coiled upon itself, as shown and lo-" cated at theinner surface of the enclosing band 32,l the strip 35 being so tensioned that it tends to contract and thus exerts a continuoutlets 34.

The construction shown in Figs-9 and 10 is the same as that shown in Fig. 1, except for the external shape of the peripheral portion of the couplingbox which, represented at 36, insteadV of presenting -its lubricant chambers partly beyond the outer surface of the main portion of the box, has its chambers, represented at 37 wholly wit-hin the symmetrical periphery of the box as shown, the grease-inlets 38 being in plugs 39 at ends of the chambers 37, in alignment with the longitudinal axes of the latter, the plugs, when removed, permitting these chambers to be charged with material-like the material 20.

It will be understood from the foregoing that by incorporating my invention in the driving-connection between rotary members, eflicient and continuing lubrication of the con-` tacting surfaces at the connection between these parts is eifected and without requiring frequent replenishment of the lubricant, thereby greatly minimizing Wear and impairment of the structure. y

, While I have illustrated and described certain embodiments ofmy invention, I do not wish to be understood as intending to limit it thereto or touse in a machine of the character stated, as it may be rovided in other for-ms and for use in other rinds of machines without departing from the spirit of my invention. i

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A wobbling coupler construction comprising a rotatable drive member, a rotatable member to be driven thereby, anda rotatable l coupler member encircling'at its ends the ends of the others of said members and having in-v 5 wardly extending projections-at which said f coupler member has wobbling drivingcon-' .n p nection with each'of said first and second-f named members, said coupler memberkcontaining alubricant chamber inradialaline- 10 mentjwith one of said projections and opening into the joints between said coupler member and said first and second-named members for supplying lubricant to the driving and 1 driven surfaces of said members.

, l k175 2. A wobbling coupler constructionvcomprising a rotatable drive member, a rotatablel member to be driven thereby,'and a rotatable coupler membery encircling at its ends the ends of the others of said Vmembers and having `20 inwardly extending. projections at which said coupler member has wobbling driving connection with each of said first and secondnamed members, said coupler member containing a lubricant chamber in radial aline-` n ment with, and extending into, one Yof said projections and opening into thevjoints be!V tween said coupler member and said first and second-named members for supplying lubricant to the driving and driven surfaces of an said members.v n BENJAMIN S. BURRELL. 

